$500,000 Homes in Mississippi, Kentucky and Illinois

Madison, Miss. | $509,000

A three-story brick house built in 2009, with three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms, on a 0.3-acre shared lot

This house is in Lost Rabbit, a planned community that hugs the Ross R. Barnett Reservoir, where the developers recently installed a marina. Community residents have access to a number of other amenities as well, including walking and biking trails, a pool and a playground.

The Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson and the Jackson- Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport are half an hour away. Biloxi and New Orleans are about a three-and-a-half-hour drive.

Size: 2,491 square feet

Price per square foot: $204

Indoors: A wrought-iron gate facing the street opens to a long path leading to the main entrance, at the side of the house.

Double doors open into the center of an open living space that stretches from a sitting area at the front of the house to the kitchen at the back, with a powder room near the entry.

The sitting area has built-in bookshelves, a fireplace framed with blue-and-white tile, tall windows overlooking the street and hardwood floors. The hardwood flooring continues into a kitchen with a stainless steel Wolf range, a dining nook with a built-in bench and doors that open to the rear patio.

A staircase at the center of the house leads to the second floor. The primary suite, to the right of the landing, has carpeted floors and a long closet and dressing area that connects the bedroom to a bathroom with a walk-in shower. On the other side of the second floor is a guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom. Both bedrooms have access to a covered balcony.

Another en suite bedroom is on the third floor. It has access to a bright, open space that could be combined with the bedroom or used as an office or playroom.

Outdoor space: The patio off the kitchen is paved with stone and partially shaded; the section closest to the house has a ceiling fan. The detached garage has two parking spots.

Taxes: $2,388 (estimated) and a $115 monthly homeowner association fee

Contact: Dale Decker Cook, Nix-Tann & Associates, 601-672-3899; myflexmls.com

Louisville, Ky. | $490,000

A two-bedroom, two-bathroom condominium on the fifth floor of a 2008 building

This east-facing unit has sweeping views of a number of Louisville landmarks, including Louisville Slugger Field, a minor-league baseball stadium, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge and the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge, both of which cross the Ohio River, connecting the city to Jeffersonville, Ind. The surrounding neighborhood is pedestrian friendly, with coffee shops, restaurants and several distilleries within a few blocks.

The Kentucky International Convention Center is less than a mile away. Driving to Cincinnati takes about an hour and half. Indianapolis is less than two hours away.

Size: 1,614 square feet

Price per square foot: $304

Indoors: Double doors open to the center of this unit, which has floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view, with a glimpse of the Ohio River and its bridges in the distance.

The living space includes two sitting areas: one directly in front of the windows and the other in a cozy den off the entry with recessed lights and a fireplace flanked by built-in bookshelves.

To the left of the entry is an open dining area and kitchen with a center island topped by speckled black stone and a glass door that opens to a balcony.

A corridor off the kitchen leads to the two bedrooms, on the other side of the apartment. The primary bedroom, at the end of the hall, has hardwood floors, a bathroom with deep tub and separate shower, and access to the balcony. The guest room has the use of a bathroom with a combined tub and shower.

Outdoor space: The private balcony is big enough to hold chairs and a cafe table, as well as potted plants or a small garden box. The building’s amenities include a gym, a roof deck and several courtyards with fountains and barbecue grills. This unit comes with one parking spot in a secure underground garage.

Taxes: $6,228 (estimated) and a $569 monthly homeowner association fee

Contact: Jason Scott and Kristen English, Lenihan Sotheby’s International Realty, 502-417-8008 or 502-802-5273; sothebysrealty.com

Arlington Heights, Ill. | $499,900

A 1928 Tudor Revival house with four bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot

This house is on a tree-lined street near the center of town, less than a mile from the Arlington Heights Metra station, where commuters can catch a train that will take them to downtown Chicago in about an hour and a half. Pioneer Park, a public green space with a community center, a swimming pool and baseball and soccer fields, is a few blocks away.

The property is less than half a mile from Northwest Community Hospital and South Middle School; public elementary and high schools are within a 10-minute drive. Several beaches along Lake Michigan are a 45-minute drive. O’Hare International Airport is 20 minutes away.

Size: 1,600 square feet

Price per square foot: $312

Indoors: From the sidewalk, stone steps lead up to an arched front door that opens into a foyer with a staircase and hardwood floors.

To the left is a living room with a white-painted brick fireplace and glass doors that open to the rear deck. Across the foyer is a dining room with street-facing windows and an arched doorway to an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances and a center island with a built-in wine refrigerator.

Three of the four bedrooms are on the second floor, reached from the stairway in the foyer. To the right of the landing is the primary bedroom, which is big enough to hold a king-size bed. Next door is a guest room with a walk-in closet and an alcove that could hold a desk. The third bedroom, at the end of the hall, is big enough to hold a double bed and a desk. All three have large closets and share a hallway bathroom with a marble-topped vanity and a combined tub and shower.

The fourth bedroom, the second full bathroom and a family room are on the basement level.

Outdoor space: The wood deck behind the house, shaded by a pergola, is large enough to accommodate separate dining and lounging areas. It steps down to a grassy backyard with a fire pit and mature trees. The attached garage has one parking spot.

Taxes: $7,344 (estimated)

Contact: Caroline Starr, @properties, Christie’s International Real Estate, 847-890-8892; atproperties.com

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